A Change in Perspective
by HonourProject
Summary: What if Harry went back to Hogwarts for his seventh year? He has to overcome the horrors of the previous year... but what happens when the past he thought he left behind came to Hogwarts? Can he deal with Dudley? T because I'm paranoid
1. Chapter 1

hello everyone, this is my AU version of what would've happened if Harry went back to Hogwarts for his 7th year. I've done this for an English Project. Keep an open mind, no flames please

"talking"

_Thoughts/memories_

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I am not making any money off of this. If I did own HP and was JK i'd not be studying for exams right now, and i'd be at Harry Potter World living at Hogwarts.

Harry stared hard down at his clasped hands. He was only half listening to McGonagall's welcome speech. He was sure that it was beautifully written and spoke in depth about the tragedies of the previous year. It would probably help him to move on... stop him from dwelling on the past if he listened to her talk. He just could not muster the willpower to pay attention and especially not to look up.

If he looked up he would see the new teachers replacing those who had perished in protecting Hogwarts, the gaps in the house tables left by students who will never come back. The minimal, if any damage to the infrastructure left from stray spells, the frown lines on McGonagall's ageing face making him remember the concentration and the intensity as she fought for her life, or the dark bags under Ginny's eyes reminding him of many sleepless nights reliving the horrors of May 2nd. If Harry saw any one of these, he'd smell the blood that permeated the air, hear the yelling of the fighting and the dying, feel the cold and despair that came from the Dementors.

Unexpectedly, Harry felt an elbow digging into his ribs._ He feet splashed in blood as he made his way across the Great Hall, tending to his aching ribs. 'Must've caught a curse there during my last fight.' He continued to..._ Harry was brought back to the present by a soft, small hand slipping into his own, grasping it reassuringly. "Harry?" whispered Ginny softly. Glancing up Harry realised that both Ron and Hermione were also looking at him with concern. Ginny stared at him, tearing up when she saw the look of pain and confusion on her boyfriend's face. She knew he had gone back there, she always knew. Whenever Harry woke up from a nightmare Ginny was immediately by his side. Her quiet but powerful presence calmed Harry enough for him to face his friends.

He brought his head up to look at his two best friends. Ron had started growing a bit of a beard this year, making him look older than his 17-½ years. Ron's face was still as freckly as ever, but his once bright blue eyes were distant. The periwinkle eyes were replaced with a deep blue, like the sea on a dark day: cold, sad, but vast and wise. The death of his brother had hit him hard. He no longer looking at the world with youthful innocence but with a harsh reality. The only time those sapphire regained their old gleam was when Ron looked at Hermione. Hermione hadn't changed much. Her brown hair was neatly parted and made into two braids that fell on her robed shoulders. On her chest gleamed a shiny silver badge proclaiming her as Head Girl. Harry dropped his gaze to his own chest, where an identical silver badge stuck out like a star in the night sky on his black robes. _I should have never accepted the position of Head Boy…I can't solve my own problems, let alone anyone else's._ Thought Harry, thinking of his reoccurring nightmares.

Dinner had appeared sometime during the evening Harry noticed with surprise. He hadn't even realised that McGonagall had finished speaking and had made the food appear. Looking around, he saw that many people were already taking seconds. Harry reluctantly took a small scoop of shepherd's pie. He'd lost weight over the summer, finding himself nauseated every time he tried to force himself to eat.

Feeling Ginny's all seeing eyes staring at him, he took up his fork and brought some of the warm potatoes up onto it. A warm buttery scent wafted towards Harry, taunting him. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep anything more than toast down. Still…feeling the pressures of his friends to eat he made a show of it: pretending to eat, but then using his wand to non-verbally vanish it from his fork. To make it look realistic, he left some of it on his plate. He couldn't just go from starving himself to enjoying a Hogwarts' Opening Feast in just 24 hours. Fiddling with the beef, harry waited for his the feast to end. By the time the last of the plates had vanished, Harry's shepherd's pie was little more than a pile of grey, disgusting mush.

"Prefects would you now escort your House back to their dormitories. After you have done so I wish for all Prefects to return to the Great Hall for a discussion about the coming year." Announced Professor McGonagall.

Harry slowly stood up. He somehow gained a slight limp after the Final Battle, a souvenir of a fight he can't remember. It was hardly noticeable, but just so that it sometimes pained him to stand up quickly. Along with Hermione, Ron and Ginny, he began to lead the first years out of the Hall.

" Oi! Half-pints! See the guy with the messy hair? Let me give you some advice... If you want to sleep tonight, you'd better not loose him. NOW GET MOVIN'!" bellowed Ron as he got the eleven-year-olds walking.

Ron had been named the seventh year prefect and Ginny the sixth so they were helping Harry and Hermione herd Gryffindor to the seventh floor. Harry and Hermione led the pack. Hermione was dutifully explaining how the stairways moved and the portraits would help you if you got lost while Harry was grumpily trudging up the stairs. He hadn't slept at all the previous night. Not that he thought that he'd sleep any better at Hogwarts. He just didn't want to have to face people.

_Ah great. I still have that meeting to go to after this!_ Harry thought annoyedly. _The sooner we get this over with the sooner I can go hole myself up and not have to put up this façade. _Finally after 7 flights they reached the fat lady.

"This, first years, is the Fat Lady. She's the portrait of Gryffindor House. She guards the entrance to our dormitories." Said Hermione. "If you want to enter the portrait hole all you have to do is…"

"_Dumbledore's Army."_ Cut in Harry, trying to speed up the process. "The password is _Dumbledore's Army._"

_Dumbledore was leaning against the railing of the Astronomy Tower, begging "Please Severus". Snape strode forward, wand out, not even hesitating as he calmly said the fatal words. "Avada ked…" _

"…Harry? HARRY!" yelled Ginny. "Are you okay? You kinda blanked out there for a second."

"I'm fine." Harry said tersely. "Just wondering why that's the password."

"Well Dumbledore has been revered as almost a God since his death." Said Ginny, half-serious, half jokingly. "To be honest, why not have it as a password? He deserves to be remembered, and so do the members of his Army."

Unsatisfied, Harry climbed into the portrait hole. Leaving Ginny to scramble after him. Once inside the common room Harry realised that Hermione had shown the first years to their dormitories while he had been talking to Ginny. Ron and Hermione were sharing an armchair by the fire, Hermione in the seat and Ron perched on the arm, waiting for Ginny and Harry.

"_There_ you are! Ron and I have already shown the first years their rooms and we've been waiting for you here ever since." Stated Hermione.

"Ya we were beginning to think you two had snuck off somewhere to…you know…" and with that Ron made a disgusted face. Laughing, as well as blushing, at his best friend's antics, Harry felt his spirit lift.

"Common then you two. Let's go see what McGonagall has to say to only us prefects." Said Harry somewhat cheerfully.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everybody! Thanks so much for the response! I got a bunch of alerts and favourites so thank you all so much! Thank you to The Booknerds for my review, it made me super happy. Sorry about the shortness of the chappie...been a pretty busy summer. Hopefully I'll start working on this more often.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am not J.K. Rowling. If I was her, I would have gone to the Stanley Cup final...been sad when Vancouver lost, escape downtown Vancouver on my private Helicopter and stopped the riots by quoting the wise words of Albus Dumbledore.**

**but seriously the Vancouver riots are still bugging me. The majority of the rioters were not Canucks fans, they intended to riot whether or not the Canucks won. aaaaaaaannnnnnnyyyyyy ways I hope you enjoy this really short chap. **

Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny descended down the seven flights to meet up in the Great Hall. All the other Gryffindor prefects had just remained there, as they did not have to escort the first years. As Head Boy and Head Girl, Harry and Hermione were obligated to do so. Ginny and Ron accompanied them to keep them entertained.

"I wonder what Professor McGonagall has to say. I mean, you'd think she'd tell at least me and you, Harry, with us being Heads and all. It must be very important." Wondered Hermione.

"Ya," agreed Ron. "Maybe it's something like the Philosopher's Stone and we have to help protect it!"

"Don't be daft Ron. The Professors didn't tell the prefects about the Stone. It's probably something to do about schedules or the house elves or something equally unexciting. We definitely could use a boring year." Quipped Ginny.

Finally reaching the gigantic doors of the Great Hall, Harry said, "Let's let McGonagall end this argument for us shall we? You know I hate us fighting." McGonagall had already started talking and only offered them a brief glare as they snuck into the Hall.

"Most of you don't know this, but the Ministry has decided that the Muggle world should learn of us and that we mean no harm." Said McGonagall with a sigh. "It has been decided that one city in England will have all their final year high school students join us during our school year. The city is going to be selected from the Sorting Hat. Once the students arrive they will be sorted into a House, as per tradition. However they will not be staying in the dormitorys with you. They will all stay together in the eastern block of the school." With that note Professor Flitwick waddled out with the Sorting Hat in tow. Placing it gently on the stool, Flitwick appeared to feed the Sorting Hat pieces of paper, no doubt having the names of cities on them.

"This is ridiculous" muttered Ron angrily to Harry. "Muggles! At Hogwarts? What are they thinking!" Harry was silently agreeing with him, with only a slight nod of his head revealing his feelings. He glanced over at Ginny and she looked just as surprised as he felt. Hermione looked slightly hopefully. _Maybe she wants her intended high school to come so she can show everyone how successful she is. That would show them. _Thought Harry smugly. _Just so long as it's not…_

"SURREY! Little Whinging, Surrey!" roared the Sorting Hat.


	3. Chapter 3

**UPDATE! SORRY I'M THE WORST UPDATER. It's a bit longer than the last one...but still not as long as I would like them. I had a bit of writers block on this chap...and the different parts of the chapter were on 2 computers and a bit on my phone written while I was waiting for some fireworks. I started another story that has been begging to be written for a while to help me get over some writers block. i've posted it up. **

**Thank you to Call me Mad, Jiyle, Fleury's Apprentice70, The Booknerds, Skylar of Gryffindor, butterflyeyes20, srey nait, .not., Dizzy126, Real Men Play Quidditch and HarryPotterNut94 for the reviews! and to everyone who alerted me**

**Call me Mad: I'm not exactly sure why I made Harry headboy…I sort of have a reason behind it but that'll be later in the story…nothing too important. I think he's pulling a James Potter and becoming Head Boy without being a prefect.**

**Skylar of Gryffindor: Piers and the rest of the gang will make an appearance, but I'm not sure yet if they'll have a huge part.**

**Disclaimer: I am making no profit off this. sadly :( If I did I wouldn't be typing on an old laptop that died from the blue screen of death (it's real. Look it up) and then was miraculously resusitated.**

****Remember the "I don't think you're a waste of space" magical forgiveness scene never happened.****

Harry felt like Voldemort had returned from the grave. "Little Whinging?" he sputtered to the Hat, "as in Stonewall High and Smeltings?"

"Why yes." Casually replied the Hat, oblivious, or ignoring, Harry's distress. Harry felt all the colour drain from his face. Ginny, Ron and Hermione all looked at Harry with extreme concern. They hadn't seen him this panicked since his dreams involving Voldemort.

"Harry?" said Ginny calmly. "Is that where Dudley goes to school?"

Slowly nodding, Harry replied "Ya, him and all the other kids who made my childhood hell." With that, Harry angrily stormed out of the Hall.

He blindly tore through Hogwarts, not really sure where he was heading. He faintly heard Ron, Hermione and Ginny calling out for him, but he didn't stop or even bother to listen to what they were saying. After awhile Harry somehow found himself on the grounds. He only become aware of this when he noticed his feet were damp from the evening dew. He flopped himself down on a little knoll, desperately trying not to remember anything of his childhood.

A little breeze played across his face, ruffling his hair a bit. _Harry was panting hard. He had been running from Dudley and his friends all of lunch break. He was running against the breeze, so he often had to glance back to see if he had left them behind yet. Dashing around a corner he quickly glanced back. He had lost them! Thinking fast Harry decided to jump behind some rubbish bins. When Harry opened his eyes again he found himself on the roof! 'Maybe when I jumped a breeze caught me and…_

Harry tore himself away from that memory. He began to gather himself. He was quite damp from sitting on the grass. He was breathing hard, presumably from recalling his memory. He looked up; the moon was shining brightly. No stars were out yet, leaving the night sky dark and clear. There was a large tree not 10 metres from him…

_He was 7 years old and Dudley, with the help of one of Aunt Marge's pitbulls, had forced him up a tree in the park near number 4. He'd been stranded for hours, as he knew the vicious dog would be waiting for him. Harry wasn't sure if he could get down if he wanted to. The tree he'd managed to scramble up in a fit of adrenaline was gargantuan with no branches until at least 5 metres up the trunk…_

…_He was quietly sitting at the base of a tree during recess. Three kids from his class were nearby, two boys and a girl. They were whispering to each other. Harry caught little snippets of their conversation. "You do it!" _

"_No-wei-Dudl-funny-" "I'll go." The girl in the group, who sat to the left of him in class, came over and plopped herself right beside Harry._

"_Hiya Harry watcha doing?"_

_Harry was still overcoming shock. No one in the school chose to hang out with him…unless they wanted to face the wrath of Dudley and his gang. "Is this a joke? Aren't you worried Dudley will beat you up?" exclaimed Harry. The girl, Olivia, hesitated. "Ben and Connor are a bit. But we all want to get to know you, despite your cousin."…_

Suddenly, he registered that Ginny had found him…and probably had been sitting beside him for some time now. Her presence had most likely been the cause of that last memory. That had been a few days before summer vacation started. Harry went to Hogwarts the next year. He never saw Olivia, Ben and Connor again. Slightly turning his head to look at Ginny, he saw tears streaming down her face.

"Why are you crying?" asked Harry, extremely perplexed.

"Why do _you_ always have the worst luck? You have Voldemort and Umbridge and Snape trying to ruin your first few years at Hogwarts, and now muggles are trying to ruin your last." Stated Ginny.

"Harry, you can't let this ruin your year! You deserve at least one good year. I mean, I know you and you cousin aren't on the best of terms-"

"Hah. Best of terms? He _hates _me Gin. Him and everyone else at my muggle school."

"Harry!" said Ginny, punching him. "You're already off to a bad start! Maybe those muggles were just afraid of Dudley…maybe some of them will apologize."

Harry chuckled. "We can always hope."

* * *

><p><strong>Hahaha almost forgot to call them rubbish bins. Just about put garbage cans. <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

WOW ITS BEEN AWHILE. Gosh if I had favourited this story i'd be hating on the author for not updating at flipping all. My bad. been busy but thats no excuse. I hope you're all satisfied with this chapter. I basically wrote all of it tonight. If you're not leave me a review but if you are...still leave a review :P

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did i'd be on pottermore by now :(

The rest of the school found out at breakfast the next morning. This should have been a cause for great outcry…especially from the Slytherins. However, Professor McGonagall followed this news with another piece of news…that classes would not be starting until the next day. The Great Hall, therefore, sat in a stunned silence. No one knew what to think about this new information. Harry, for one, wished people would start talking again. He had had nightmares last night but without Ginny to comfort him. He had cast Silencio around his curtains so he wouldn't disturb his roommates.

Last night was different. Instead of his usual dreams consisting of anything concerning Voldemort and his deatheaters, he dreamt of all the horrid things Dudley and his gang had done to him over the years. Harry chuckled darkly. As horrid as this may seem Harry almost preferred the old dreams. At least he knew Voldemort and his followers were gone. Dudley and his friends were soon to become a real life nightmare that very evening. The students were due to arrive at dinner time, giving Harry only hours to relinquish in a Dudley free Hogwarts. Setting down his fork (he'd only eating a few bites of sausage anyways) he looked at Ginny and said, "I'm going to go to the quidditch pitch for a fly. Want to come?"

"Sure," replied Ginny "sounds like fun." Turning to her brother, who was currently stuffing his face, much to his girlfriend's digust, Ginny said, "Ronald, stop gorging yourself and go get your broomstick. We're going for a fly."

Harry, Ginny, and Ron, with Hermione as a spectator, flew around until the late afternoon. Seamus, Dean, Terry Boot, Lavender, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Parvati and Padma joined in sometime during the day. The late summer sun and a small breeze made the day perfect for flying.

As the sun began to set the students made their way back up to the castle. The joy of the afternoon had caused Harry to forget what was coming that evening, and trudging up to the castle distinctly made him remember why he felt so anxious.

Harry began to lag back as if he was somehow trying to put off the inevitable. He most definitely did not want to rush in and see the people who helped make his childhood complete agony. He rather hoped that most of his primary schoolmates forgot about him or that they wouldn't recognize him in this surrounding.

Sighing audibly, Harry entered the Great Hall.

The muggles weren't due to arrive until the feast had started. Taking his usual spot near the end of the Gryffindor table, Harry sat with his back to the door, hoping that the muggles wouldn't be able to recognize the back of his messy head. His hopes were dashed when Professor McGonagall walked down the aisle to speak with them.

"There you are Potter, Miss Granger," started McGonagall. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd be present for tonight's feast. I want you two, as well as you two Mr and Miss Weasley, to remain behind after the feast so I can introduce you to the muggles. I want them to know all of the prefects so they at least have someone they can ask questions."

Harry visibly paled. "P-professor, do we have to?" Harry hated to plead but he absolutely did not want to advertise his face to all his old classmates.

"Potter, I know this must be uncomfortable for you but yes as Head Boy and a prominent figure of the wizarding world you must. Neither the school nor the ministry will allow you to do otherwise. I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but that's the only option." McGonagall finished sadly. She turned and flagged down another prefect as she left.

Harry did not blame the Headmistress. She was only doing her job and she seems genuinely sad for him. Ginny and Hermione looked at Harry with sympathy while Ron grimaced.

They sat down silently and waited for the muggles to arrive.

About 20 minutes later, when Professor McGonagall stood up on the dais and looked prepared to speak, was when they knew the muggles were just outside.

"Students of Hogwarts, I would like you to extend a warm, welcoming hand to the Students of Stonewall High and of Smeltings Academy." Stated McGonagall. As the Hogwartians began to clap the wide double doors of the hall opened to reveal over 100 scared looking senior high school students dressed in the basic Hogwarts uniform with one exception. Where a house crest should have been there was a new crest. This new crest was maroon and gray with the image of an orange fox slinking. The muggles gazed open mouthed at the enchanted ceiling (tonight it was a beautiful mixture of purples and dark blues), the floating candles, and the vast number of magical students. Harry, however, didn't see any of this as he refused to turn around. He was going to hide his identity as long as he could. Ginny, on the other hand, was obviously looking around at the muggles.

"Harry, which one is your cousin? I want to know so I can curse him later. There's quite a few hippo-esque males surprisingly."

"He's the biggest and the ugliest."

"_There _he is! Gosh he's a complete whale. _And _he looks like a pig who's been threatened with being turned into bacon. How can someone look so stupid and like they're about the piss themselves at the same time?"

Harry allowed himself a small smile at Ginny's rants. He too had had those thoughts for many years.

McGonagall began to welcome the muggles, but of course Harry tuned that out. He paid attention to the fact that some of the muggles nearly began to cry when McGonagall conjured them a table out of midair. And he only slightly registered the fact that several screams followed the arrival of the food.

Dinner could not have gone any faster. _Time always speeds up when you least want it to _thought Harry. Soon enough the Great Hall was cleared of all but the teachers, the prefects, the muggle students and their teachers. McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione right beside her on the dais, with the prefects flaring out from there.

Harry, conscious of the students looking towards him, ducked his head as much as he could without raising too much suspicion. _Knew I should have stolen a vial of Hermione's Polyjuice Potion_.

"Students I would like you to meet the elite of Hogwarts…the prefects and the Head Boy and Girl."

One by one McGonagall introduced the Prefects. "From my right you have Ciara McCornington of Hufflepuff, Graham Johnston of Gryffindor, Athena Xander of Slytherin, Ronald Weasley of Gryffindor, his sister Ginny Weasley also of Gryffindor, Rosie Noir of Slytherin, Sherman Wallaby of Ravenclaw, his brother Joshua Wallaby of Hufflepuff, Lauren Millar of Hufflepuff, and that is Pooner Jackson of Hufflepuff, Olivia Wriddler of Slytherin, Breanna Cooney of Ravenclaw and Head Girl Hermione Granger of Gryffindor. On my left is Head Boy Harry Potter-"

At his name there was a gasp from nearly every muggle student. Whisperings followed immediately afterwards as well as loud inquiries directed at Harry from his bolder primary schoolmates.

_So much for staying hidden_ thought Harry.

Til next time (which is hopefully not in another 4 months or so)

-HonourProject


	5. Chapter 5

**Little big of a drug reference in this chappie. Muh bad. Thanks to all who reviewed. Hot chocolate hugs and hersey kisses for all. I think this is one of my longest chapters. Happy Holidays to everyone!**

Needless to say Harry left the Great Hall the previous night as fast as Ron runs from spiders. It is also obvious that Harry got no sleep last night. He was dead tired as he dragged himself down to the Great Hall in the morning. He'd actually contemplated skipping the meal, but Ginny dragged him down there, saying something about his health. Harry, although he knew he'd receive heck for it later, tuned her out. He couldn't deal with anything; talking, eating, thinking, sleeping. He just allowed himself to be pulled around by his girlfriend.

When the couple arrived in the Great Hall they plopped themselves as close to the door as possible. Ginny planned this because she knew that Harry might want to make a quick escape later.

To their surprise they saw that the table McGonagall had conjured the night before for the muggles had gone. "She probably wants the muggles to sit at our tables… wanting them to interact with us" explained Ginny to her basically catatonic boyfriend.

Harry merely grunted in reply. He honestly did not care what the muggles were doing. He was just going to ignore them.

Hermione and Ron entered the Hall and sat down beside them.

"Good morning!" chirped Hermione happily. "I hope you're both excited for classes this morning. We have History of Magic first thing"

"History of Magic _first thing_?" exclaimed Ron. "It's not enough that we're all tired anyways but they have to give us the most boring class this early! Blimey, I'm never going to stay awake if I have to listen to Binns' voice droning on and on about the Eerie the Evil… or Macerjack the er... Malicious"

"Well it's a good thing Binns is gone then isn't it?" stated Ginny as she reached for some toast. She buttered some and placed it in Harry's hand. He didn't even notice.

"Yes, Professor Binns was so disturbed from last year that he finally gave up teaching. Alecto and Amycus as well as the battle meddled with his routine. He told McGonagall as soon as she became Headmistress." elaborated Hermione. "The only thing is I'm not sure McGonagall has found a replacement."

"W'ah you 'ean by dat?" said Ron through a mouthful of food.

"Ron you're acting like a pig, it's disgusting." said Ginny "I heard that a foreign teacher has been hired and no one's seen him yet."

Ron swallowed hard and noticed Harry for the first time. "Hey mate what's up with you today? Seem a bit peaky."

Just then three students that neither Hermione, Ron, nor Ginny recognised sat down beside them.

"Hello there. I'm Hermione Granger, Head Girl, and member of Gryffindor house. Are you three muggle students?" said Hermione cheerfully

The girl with dirty blonde hair ignored Hermione and looked straight at Harry. "Hi Harry…I'm- I'm not sure if you remember us bu-"

"Oh no." said Ginny, standing as she spoke. "I don't care who you are or what you had to do with Harry but he does _not _have to deal with you or anyone right now."

"But I just wante—" stammered the blonde.

"NO! You can go and tell all your muggle friends to leave Harry alone. Good bye." stated Ginny with a finality that was difficult to argue with.

"Let's go." said Hermione coldly. With that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood up. Ron looked over at Harry and dragged him into a standing position.

They left the hall and headed towards the History of Magic classroom. The girls went on ahead a little. Ron slowed him and Harry down just a touch.

"Easy there mate. Didn't get much sleep last night did you? Saw you tossing about." Said Ron. "You really should take a potion for that…can't be all that healthy."

Harry, amazed he even noted what Ron was saying, dumbly nodded.

"Come on, let's catch up to the girls. Maybe you can catch a few winks during History of Magic."

The History of Magic classroom, to their amazement, was open and empty. They took four seats at the back on the left side of the classroom. Ron and Hermione took the seats below while Harry and Ginny took the ones above them. Harry leant against the wall and put his head down on the desk. Ginny was surprised to find him already asleep when she went to ask him a question a moment later. Ginny looked at Ron inquiringly.

"He didn't sleep at all last night. He put a Silent charm around his bed but I could still see him. He forgot to draw his curtains last night. I woke up several times because I could feel him sitting," said Ron sadly.

"And I also, er—kinda spiked his pumpkin juice with some Dreamless Sleep Potion." Added Ron guiltily.

The three still awake fell into a lengthy silence. After a few minutes Hermione angrily broke it.

"It's not fair. Life's so cruel to Harry. First Voldemort and now having to relive his past. Why can't he just have a break?"

They lapsed into silence again just as the first of their fellow classmates entered the class. The magical students were amicably chatting as they took their seats while the muggle students awkwardly stood in the isles and shamelessly stared at the trio's sleeping friend.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." Said Ginny while giving her best glare, usually reserved only for Deatheaters.

"Yeh! It wouldn't even be a moving picture. Harry would just stay in the frame the _entire _time. It's be _so weird_!" added Ron lamely.

The muggles looked at Ron as if he'd just said he was going to go on a date with an elephant.

Dudley and his gang entered, making a loud ruckus as they did so. Hermione mused to herself that while they were the most attention-seeking and obnoxious muggles, they perhaps were the ones who were the most terrified. _Hiding their fear under all their bravado…interesting. _

"Look at Scarhead!"

"Too freaky to even look at us face to face."

"OI POTTER. WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BAKEY"

"Stupid Pothead. Fallin' asleep in class? Smoking one too many I think"

Dudley basked in the ridiculous comments his followers made, having a smug and content look plastered across his hippo sized face.

Ginny stood up angrily.

"SHUT YOUR BLOODY MOUTHS YOU FILTHY MUGGLES. You _dare _come into our school and say such ridiculous things as that? How did you even get past grade 4 at your school? The five of you have a mental capacity of a _teaspoon_ if those are the best insults you can come up with." Ginny stated.

"Hah," chuckled one of Dudley's friends. "He's got his ginger girlfriend standing up for him 'cause he can't do it himself!"

This sent the other 4 boys into hysterics, but then into absolute terror as Ginny whipped out her wand.

"Hah." Laughed Ginny humourlessly. "If you think Harry needs someone to stand up for him then you are sorely mistaken."

It was at this opportune moment that an adult walked into the classroom. The two offending parties were frozen in a kind of humorous scene. The five muggles looked ready to wet themselves, while Ginny looked murderous.

"Now, now, we can't have any of that!" stated the middle-aged woman. "This is my first day of teaching and I'm not about to have a witch curse some of the highschoolers."

Turning to Ginny she said, "Put the wand away. Whatever happened between you and these dufuses can be settled elsewhere, preferably without resorting to turning them into the dung beetles they truly are."

Amazed at the teacher's thorough understanding of the situation, Ginny tucked her wand back inside her robe.

"And you boys. Sit down where I cannot easily see you. Don't want to be staring at your ugly mugs all day."

Cowed, the boys sat on the opposite side of the room.

She strode to the front of the class and proceeded to write her name on the chalkboard.

"My name is Professor Sagar and I am your new History of Magic Teacher. I am not an ordinary teacher at Hogwarts because unlike the rest of my colleagues I am a muggle."

There was a collective gasp from all the students.

"Yes, yes I know. I didn't even know about the wizarding world until 2 weeks ago. I was going to be a new teacher at Stonewall when Headmistress McGonagall contacted me asking me if I could take over the role of History of Magic teacher. I assume the previous professor departed rather suddenly."

The Hogwarts students chuckled at the joke Sagar had just unknowingly made.

"Yeah," said Ron in a hushed tone. "You could even say that he departed suddenly and came back too quickly" chuckled Ron at his own lame joke.

Hermione elbowed him while keeping her attention transfixed to Sagar.

"Your previous professor left me no notes or lesson plans to work from but I am aware that you've mostly covered Goblin Rebellions and other earlier historical events."

She sighed, "To be perfectly honest I was thrown a book and told to teach you anything. So I have decided to teach the senior students more recent history. The muggle students will have a better understanding of wizards and the Hogwarts students will be able to look at recent history with a critical point of view."

Hermione cautiously raised her hand.

"Professor. When you say _recent _history, how recent do you actually mean? Approximately 200 years ago? 400?"

"Oh no," corrected Sagar "When I say recent history I mean within the last 100 years. According to several texts the most noteworthy event is the Rise and Fall of The Dark Lord, and apparently that brings us up to this year. We'll be studying figures such as Dumbledore, the Dark Lord and the Boy Who Lived."


End file.
